Installing device for concrete joint forming member



Nov. 22, 1966 w. F. MIDDLESTADT 3,286,607

INSTALLING DEVICE FOR CONCRETE JOINT FORMING MEMBER Filed June 24, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 c r I x I) W] 1 N i F 1/; I P

N No) q 10 I i IH/ I LO I pr) F I FIG. I

11! I II INVENTOR William F. Middlestudf BY oimqz J y/01 ATTORNEY 5 N 1966 w. F. MIDDLESTADT 3,285,607

INSTALLING DEVICE FOR CONCRETE JOINT FORMING MEMBER Filed June 24, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 2

INVENTOR William F. Middlesiodr BY arm Q 00, k r

ATTORNEY-5 N 66 w. F. MIDDLESTADT INSTALLING DEVICE FOR CONCRETE JOINT FORMING MEMBER 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June 24, 1964 INVENTOR William F. Middlesrudr w QQQ/ y ATTORNEYS Nov. 22, 1966 w. F. MIDDLESTADT 3, 0

INSTALLING DEVICE FOR CONCRETE JOINT FORMING MEMBER Filed June 24. 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 4.

I A A W A INVENTOR 25 4| 40 24 William F. Middlesrudr 7 BY J59! QQQ) ATTORNEY 5 1966 w. F. MIDDLESTADT 3,286,607

INSTALLING DEVICE FOR CONCRETE JOINT FORMING MEMBER Filed June 24, 1964 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 K a? M .726

UHUUUHUUUUU- UUHUHUHUUUUUU --ULIUUU UL UUUMHUUUUUHUULIUUUUUUUUHUHUUUUUUUUU UlIUUUUUU INVENTOR William F- Middlestodr ATTORNEYS United States Patent INSTALLING DEVICE FOR CONCRETE JOINT FORMING MEMBER William F. Middlestadt, Arnold, Md., assignor to Middlestadt Corporation, Baltimore, Md., a corporation of Maryland Filed June 24, 1964. Ser. No. 377,557 6 Claims. (Cl. 94-51) This invention relates to a method and apparatus for installing joint forming members in concrete. Specifically, the invention is directed to an apparatus which is adapted to extend across a strip of plastic concrete and which is adapted to form an opening in the plastic concrete and insert a joint forming member in such opening.

In my prior Patent No. 3,038,395 issued June 12, 1963, there is disclosed and claimed a joint forming member which is adapted to be inserted in plastic concrete and which forms a weakened plane in the concrete so that when the concrete contracts it cracks at the point at which the joint forming member has been inserted. After the concrete has hardened the upper surface of the joint forming member is depressed by means of a device which may be similar to that disclosed in my prior Patent 3,038,397 issued June 12, 1962. The device for installing a joint forming member such as described above may be similar to that disclosed in application Serial No. 822,879, filed June 25, 1959, now abandoned. This type of installing machine provides means for forcing the joint forming member into the plastic concrete by means of a vibrating blade.

In co-pending application Serial No. 201,437 filed June 11, 1962, there is disclosed a combination joint forming member and load transfer device. This member comprises an upper end portion which is similar to the joint forming member described above and attached to the joint forming member is a load transfer device comprising dowel forming cups which extend alternately in opposite directions. Obviously, the depth of the combined joint forming member and load transfer device is considerably greater than the depth of the joint forming member alone and consequently it is not possible to utilize the same means for inserting the combined joint forming member and load transfer device into the plastic concrete as the means employed to force the joint forming member alone into the plastic concrete. The pressure required to force the combined joint forming member and load transfer device into the plastic concrete to such a substantial depth would cause distortion and possible malfunction of the device.

The present invention provides a means for installing the combined joint forming member and load transfer device disclosed in application Serial No. 201,437. The device includes a wheeled frame which is adapted to ride on the concrete forms on the outer boundaries of the concrete. Mounted on this frame is a pair of cross bars having depending fingers thereon which extend to a depth greater than the depth of the joint forming member and load transfer device. These fingers are mounted on the cross bars in staggered relationship so that they interfit and are in alignment when the cross bars are in adjacency. The cross bars are mounted on the frame so that they can move vertically so as to extend the depending fingers into the plastic concrete. Means is provided for moving the cross bars laterally with respect to each other so as to push the interfitting depending fingers apart and provide an opening to receive the combined joint forming member and load transfer device as it is forced downwardly between the separated cross bars and depending fingers. The combined joint forming member and load transfer device is forced downwardly by'means 3,286,607 Patented Nov. 22, 1966 of a bar having'restraining elements secured thereon and depending therefrom, which restraining elements engage opposite sides of the joint forming member and abut the upper ends of the cup-shaped portions of the load transfer device. These restraining elements maintain the proper alignment of the joint forming member with respect to the concrete and assure proper installation of the member without distortion thereof.

An object of the present invention is to provide a means for installing a combined joint forming member and load transfer device.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an installing device for a combined joint forming member and load transfer device wherein interfitting fingers are inserted into the plastic concrete and separated to provide for access of the joint forming member and load transfer device therebetween.

Other objects and many of the attendant advantages of the present invention will become more readily apparent upon consideration of the following detailed specification in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the installing device shown disposed over a concrete strip,

FIG. 2 is a perspective view taken from the opposite side of the machine as shown in FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a partial end perspective view showing certain details of the installing mechanism,

FIG. 4 is a view of the same end as shown in FIG. 3 but from the opposite direction,

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a combined joint forming member and load transfer device which is installed by the presently disclosed machine,

FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing the cross bars with dependent fingers inserted in the plastic concrete,

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6 with the depending fingers separated and the combined joint forming member and load transfer device inserted therebetween,

FIG. 8 is a partial perspective view showing the cross bar with dependent fingers,

FIG. 9 is a partial perspective view showing the combined joint forming member and load transfer device with the means for forcing this member into the concrete,

FIG. 10 is a side elevational view of the cross bars with dependent fingers, and

FIG. 11 is a view similar to FIG. 10 showing the angularity of the cross bars adjust-ed.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings wherein like numerals indicate like parts there is shown at 1 in FIG. 1 a substantially rectangular frame, this frame being provided with flanged wheels such as shown at 2 and 3 at each corner of the frame, these wheels being adapted to ride upon the concrete forms 4 and 5 on each side of a strip of plastic concrete. Mounted on the frame 1 are all of the elements necessary to drive the frame along the concrete forms and for installing the joint forming member in the concrete. There is provided a motor generator 6 which provides the power necessary to supply a hydraulic system 7 and motor 8. The motor 8 provides through gear reduction means 9 power for the wheels 2 and 3. The shaft 10 interconnects the gear reduction means 9 with a chain drive 11 coupled to the axle on which wheel 3 is mounted. A similar chain drive (not shown) is connected with the axle on which wheel 2 is mounted. It can be seen that such power drive means permits the frame to be driven along the concrete forms so as to be positioned over the point in the plastic concrete where a joint forming member is to be inserted.

There are provided a pair of cross bars 12 and 13 which can be seen in FIG. 4. The ends of these cross bars are identically mounted within the frame 1 and the specific construction of one end only of the cross bars will be described. Surrounding the end portions of the cross bars 12 and 13 is a supporting bracket 14. This supporting bracket permits the cross bars 12 and 13 to slide laterally with respect to each other Within the bracket. A plate 15 is secured to the bracket and at the upper end of this plate there is secured the piston rod :16 of a hydraulic cylinder -17. Secured to the supporting bracket 14 are guide rods 18 and 19 and these guide rods are slidable in supporting guideways 20 and 21 which are fixed to the side rail of the frame 1. It can be seen that this mounting for the cross bars 12 and 13 permits the cross bars to be raised and lowered by shifting the position of the piston rod 16 within the cylinder 17. There are mounted on the cross bars 12 and 13 bolts such as shown at 22 and these bolts are adapted to engage the concrete forms when the cross bars are lowered so as to determine the lower limit of travel of the cross bars.

Interconnecting the outer ends of the cross bars 12 and 13 is a hydraulic piston and cylinder 23 as shown in FIG. 3. This mechanism permits the cross bars 12 and 13 to shift from a position in adjacency as seen in FIG. 6 to a spaced position such as seen in FIG. 7.

The cross bars 12 and 13 are provided with depending fingers 24 and 25 respectively as shown in FIG. 8. The fingers 24 on cross bar 12 are staggered with respect to the fingers 25 on cross bar 13 so that when the cross bars 12 and 13 are brought together the fingers 24 and 25 are in alignment as shown in FIG. 6. When the cross bars 12 and 13 are separated the depending fingers 24 and 25 assume the position shown in FIG. 7 to form a space therebetween to receive the joint forming member and load transfer device in a manner to be described more fully hereinafter.

Referring to FIGS. and 11 it can be seen that mounted on the upper surface of the cross bar 12 is a brace 26 and extending between the cross bar 12 and brace 26 are tie rods 27, 28 and 29. By adjusting the position of the bolts on the tie rods the angularity of the cross bar 12 can be adjusted so that it will assume a position such as shown in FIG. 11. In the construction of highways the concrete paving strip is frequently crowned and by adjusting the bolts on the tie rods, the angularity of the cross bar 12 may be set so as to conform to the crowned paving strip. The cross bar 13 is provided with a similar brace and tie rod means.

An installing bar comprising a T bar such as shown at 51 in FIG. 9 is mounted in the frame for vertical movement so as to force the joint forming member into the concrete. Supporting arms such as shown at 52 and 53 in FIG. 1 are secured to the upper face of element 27 and cables 30 and 31 are attached to the upper ends of these arms. The cables extend over pulleys which are mounted on supporting frameworks 32 and 33 fixed to the frame 1. The free ends of the cables are counterweighted so that the installing bar 51 normally assumes the upper position shown in FIG. 1. Handles 34, 35, 36 and 37 are secured to the upper face of the installing rod 51 and when the rod is to be depressed, the handles are grasped and the rod is forced downwardly against the resistance of the counterweights.

The combined joint forming member and load transfer device is shown in FIG. 5. As pointed out hereinbefore, this device is disclosed more fully in co-pending application Serial No. 201,437, filed June 11, 1962. The device comprises a tubular shaped upper end portion 38 and a load transfer portion 39 comprising a series of cups such as shown at 40 and 41 which extend alternately in opposite directions. The device is installed in the concrete with the upper surface thereof substantially flush with the upper surface of the concrete and after the concrete has hardened, the upper surface of the device is depressed and a sealant is inserted in the space above the depressed upper surface, The cups in the load transfer portion of the device form concrete dowels which extend from one concrete slab across the joint into the adjacent slab. The outwardly extending flanges such as shown at 42 in FIG. 5 ensure that the walls of the joint forming member move upon contraction and expansion of the concrete adjacent thereto.

The installing bar 51 is provided with depending restraining elements such as shown at 43 and 44 in FIG. 9. These elements are located alternately on opposite sides of the bar 51 and are sufli-ciently long so as to engage the upper ends of the cup-shaped members 40 and 41 respectively of the joint forming member. With reference to FIG. 7 it can be seen that the lower edge of the installing bar 51 is spaced above the upper edge of the joint forming member and load transfer device. Thus, the joint forming member is supported entirely by the elements 43 and 4-4 which engage the sides of the member and by the lower ends of the elements 43 and 44 engaging the upper edges of the cups 40 and 41 respectively. With reference to FIG. 7 it can be seen that the rod 51 is provided with bolts 45 and 46 which abut the upper surface of the cross bars 12 and 13, thus determining the depth to which the joint forming member and load transfer device is forced downwardly into the concrete.

Vibrators such as shown at 47 in FIG. 2 are bolted on the cross bars 12 and 13 and are mounted on the upper end of supports 52 and 53 of T bar 51 so that these members may be vibrated while the depending fingers are being forced into the concrete and while the joint forming member is being subsequently inserted in the plastic concrete.

The disclosed device functions in the following manner. The frame 1 is mounted over a concrete strip in which joints are to be formed with the wheels of the frame engaging the concrete forms. The frame is then driven until the cross bars 12 and 13 are located above the point at which the joint is to be formed. By suitable actuation of the hydraulic controls the piston 16 on each end of the cross bars is forced outwardly of the cylinder so as to lower the cross bars 12 and 13 and permit the aligned depending fingers 24 and 25 to enter the plastic concrete. The cross bars 12 and 13 and fingers are vibrating while the fingers are entering the concrete. The bydraulic mechanism controlling the piston and cylinder assembly 23 disposed at each end of the cross bars 12 and 13 is then actuated to move the cross bars 12 and 13 laterally apart so as to separate the fingers 24 and 25 to the position shown in FIG. 7. Large aggregate will be drawn out of the area between the fingers 24 and 25. The removal of the large aggregate from the area between the depending fingers 24 and 25 permits the insertion of the joint forming member and load transfer device without the danger of such member striking large aggregate thereby preventing proper insertion. The joint forming member and load transfer device such as shown in FIG. 5 is inserted beneath the installing bar 51 so that the restraining elements are disposed on each side of the device and engage the upper ends of the cup-shaped elements 40 and 41. The installing bar is then forced downwardly manually so as to position the joint forming element and load transfer device within the plastic concrete between the fingers 24 and 25 in the manner shown in FIG. 7. The bolts 45 and 46 determine the extent to which the installing bar may be moved vertically but generally speaking these bolts are adjusted so that the upper surface of the joint forming member is substantially fiush with the upper surface of the concrete. It can be readily appreciated that the depending fingers 24 and 25 serve as guide means to assist in maintaining the joint forming member in proper vertical alignment during insertion. The installing bar is raised and the cross bars 12 and 13 are subsequently raised so as to leave the joint forming element and load transfer device positioned Within the plastic concrete.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings.

Iclaim:

1. An installing machine for inserting a joint forming member into concrete comprising, a frame having Wheels thereon adapted to ride on concrete forms, a pair of cross bars mounted on said frame and extending across the concrete, fingers on each of said cross bars extending normally with respect to the plane intersecting the longitudinal axes of the cross bars, said fingers being staggered so that the fingers on one of said cross bars in-terfit with the fingers on the other of said cross bars, means mounting said cross bars on said frame for vertical movement with respect to said frame whereby said cross bars may be lowered to extend the fingers into the plastic concrete, means mounting said cross bars for lateral movement with respect to each other to separate the interfitting fingers to form an area therebetween clear of large aggregate in the concrete for insertion of the joint forming member, and means mounted on said frame for vertical movement with respect thereto for forcing a joint forming member into the area in the plastic concrete between the separated fingers, the fingers on said cross bars serving as guide means for the joint forming member during insertion thereof.

2. An installing machine according to claim 1 wherein said last-named means comprises a rod having depending restraining elements thereon, said restraining element-s engaging the sides of a joint forming member and maintaining the joint forming member in a plane normal with respect to the surface of the concrete.

3. An installing machine for inserting a joint forming member into plastic concrete comprising a substantially rectangular frame, wheels supporting the ends of said frame on concrete fOrms, a pair of cross bars extending across said frame, means mounted on said cross bars for adjusting the angularity of said cross bars, means including hydraulic pistons and cylinders for mounting said bars for vertical movement with respect to the frame, means ineluding hydraulic cylinder and piston means interconnecting said cross bars for moving said cross bars laterally with respect to each other, spaced fingers depending from each of said cross bars, the fingers on one of said cross bars interfitting with the fingers on the other of said cross bars, means for vibrating said cross bars, said cross bars adapted to be depressed to permit the vibrating fingers to penetrate into the concrete, the interfitting fingers being separated to form an area therebetween, and an installing bar mounted for vertical movement on said frame, spaced restraining elements depending from said installing bar, said restraining elements adapted to engage each side of a joint forming member and support the member while being installed in the plastic concrete, and the installing bar adapted to be lowered to force the joint forming member into the space in the plastic concrete between the two rows of fingers.

4. An installing machine according to claim 3 wherein said means for adjusting the angularity of the cross bars includes braces interconnecting the ends of each of the cross bars and tie bolts spaced along the length of and interconnecting the cross bars and braces.

5. An installing machine according to claim 3 wherein the joint forming member includes load transfer cups and the end portions of said restraining elements engage the upper surfaces of the cups.

6. An installing machine according to claim 3 and further including adjustable means on said installing bar engageable with said cross bars for setting the depth of insertion of the joint forming members in the plastic concrete.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,982,387 11/1934 Heltzel 94-45 2,315,915 4/1943 White 94-39 2,729,152 1/1956 Carnes 94-51 3,057,274 10/ 1962 JanoWitz 94-45 JACOB L. NACKENOFF, Primary Examiner. 

1. AN INSTALLING MACHINE FOR INSERTING A JOINT FORMING MEMBER INTO CONCRETE COMPRISING, A FRAME HAVING WHEELS THEREON ADAPTED TO RIDE ON CONCRETE FORMS, A PAIR OF CROSS BARS MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME AND EXTENDING ACROSS THE CONCRETE, FINGERS ON EACH OF SAID CROSS BARS EXTENDING NORMALLY WITH RESPECT TO THE PLANE INTERSECTING THE LONGITUDINAL AXES OF THE CROSS BARS, SAID FINGERS BEING STAGGERED SO THAT THE FINGERS ON ONE OF SAID CROSS BARS INTERFIT WITH THE FINGERS ON THE OTHER OF SAID CROSS BARS, MEANS MOUNTING SAID CROSS BARS ON SAID FRAME FOR VERTICAL MOVEMENT WITH RESPECT TO SAID FRAME WHEREBY SAID CROSS BARS MAY BE LOWERED TO EXTEND THE FINGERS INTO THE PLASTIC CONCRETE, MEANS MOUNTING SAID CROSS BARS FOR LATERAL MOVEMENT WITH RESPECT TO EACH OTHER TO SEPARATE THE INTERFITTING FINGERS TO FORM AN AREA THEREBETWEEN CLEAR OF LARGE AGGREGATE IN THE CONCRETE FOR INSERTION OF THE JOINT FORMING MEMBER, AND MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME FOR VERTICAL MOVEMENT WITH RESPECT THERETO FOR FORCING A JOINT FORMING MEMBER INTO THE AREA IN THE PLASTIC CONCRETE BETWEEN THE SEPARATED FINGERS, THE FINGERS ON THE CROSS BARS SERVING AS GUIDE MEANS FOR THE JOINT FORMING MEMBER DURING INSERTION THEREOF. 